Berlin Conservation Commission Advances Rail Trail Grant, Moves on Snowmobile Trespass

BERLIN — March 4, 2026 — Berlin Conservation Commission pursues $300,000 rail trail design grant and escalates snowmobile trespass enforcement. At the March 4 meeting, a commission member reported submitting a Mass Trails grant application in January seeking $240,000 in state funds plus $60,000 in existing town match for 25 percent design work on the rail trail, with a Department of Conservation and Recreation contact signaling potential state pickup of the project after design is complete. The commission agreed to send certified letters to property owners off Allen Road and Lancaster Road where snowmobile and off-road vehicle damage — including harm to a stand of mountain laurel — has been documented across multiple seasons; environmental police remain a fallback option. Civil engineer Scott Hazel presented plans for a 2,000-square-foot garage at 320 Old Central Street and received confirmation the site is outside commission jurisdiction, with a letter to follow before a March 11 Zoning Board of Appeals hearing. An MVP grant due March 20 is expected to include a request for Highway Department brine equipment, with a single pre-treatment salt run costing roughly $2,000.